Vapor-heated or gas-heated implement.



PATENTED JULY 1, 1905.

W MITCHELL.

VAPOR HEATED 0R (ms HEATED IMPLEMENT.

APPLICATION FILED 13150.16, 1903.

1 m Z m f m 11% [names PATENTED JULY 4. 1905.

. W. MITGHELL. VAPOR HEATED 0R GAQ HEATED IMPLEMENT.

APPLIOATION FILED-DBO. 16 1903.

M&

U N 1N are. 793,894..

i1 llinire STATES Patented July a, 19mg,

Parent rricn.

VAPOR-HEATEU OM GA$"HEATED lWlWLL ElVIENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,89t, dated July i, 1905. Application filed December 16, 1903. $c1'ial1l0. 185,862.

To (1,7,7 107mm it 'IIMbj/ con/corn:

Be it known that I, VVILLIs lVlrroIinLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at .lvlalden, in the county of M iddlesex and {State of l /lassachusetts, have invented certain new and use- :ful Improvements in Vapor-Heated or Gas- Heated Implements; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to vapor-heated implements for soldering, brazing, and similar work; and it consists in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a soldering-iron embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents an enlarged side elevation of the same without the shell 0. Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal central section of the same. Fig. a represents a cross-section on the line t l of Fig. 3 looking toward the point of the tool. Fig. 5 represents a similar cross-section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 represents a detail perspective view of the valve-rod, the adjustingscrew and part of the tubular shank appearing in dotted lines. Fig. 7 represents a detail perspective view of the gasolene-tube. Fig. 8 represents a detail perspective view of the pocket for absorbent material in reversed position, and Fig. 9 represents a detail perspective view of the removable shell of the generator.

A designates the handle of my tube, which is also the tank or reservoir for gasolene or other inflammable and easily-vaporizable liq- 'uid. A designates a plate or casting closing the rear end of the same and centrally screwtapped to receive the screw-threaded stem of a plug or cap B, which covers this end of the tool and is provided with a central bore B and a milled head 7). The said plate or casting and the said plug or cap are respectively provided with an annular groove a and an annular rib 7), which lit together, having packing between them to prevent leakage. The said here B 1s screw-threaded at its outer end for convenlence oi coupling an air-pump or other air-forcing device and is provided with an air-inlet valve ll having a spring 7), which bears against a block or plug 7), screwed into the inner end of said bore B. This block is provided with a central air-passage, connecting the space about said spring to the interior of the reservoir, and thus completing the passage for compressed air entering the latter.

0 designates an elongated pocket or shell containing capillary absorbent material and having its forward end of considerably greater diameter than the remainder of. said pocket. This forward end is provided with a series of holes arranged all around it and designated U. The absorbent material is designated 0 and fills the said pocket, except a small space at the closed rear end. 1) designates a plate or casting screwed into the forward end of the reservoir or handle A and having the broad forward end of the said pocket or shell fastened thereto.

E designates the hollow cylindrical shank of the tool, having air-holes c through its side and internally screw-threaded at its rear end to engage a correspondingly-threaded. hub or forward extension I) integral with the plate or casting D. A gasolene conduit F, having tapering ends f, fits into correspondingly-tapered recesses (Z and It, respectively, made in said hub or extension and in a similar hub or extension lrl, which closes in like manner the forward end of shank ill]. The casting D and its extension 1) are provided with an approximatel y central bore ll), connecting the rear end of conduit F with the forward end of a gasolene-tube G, which extends straightback through the pocket or shell U for nearly the whole ol? its length to the terminal open space within said shell beyond the absorbent material c, where it is provided with an inletmouth 7 of hell form, having a screen ,I across it to prevent the ingress of line particles of such absorbent material. This flaring inletmouth may be provided with any suitable liltering material 9, held in place by said screen. The gasolene-tube Gr is held rigidly within the said pocket, preferably having its forward end securely fitted into the rear end of bore D. This bore is bent at right angles at 1], form.-

ing an elbow for the convenient reception of the point of a radially operating valve I, which governs the flow of gasolene from the tank to the generator. This valve works back and forth in a corresponding bore (Z of plate or casting D, communicating with the bore D at the elbow or angle (Z being screwthreaded to engage a screw-tapped follower I, which is screwed into a packing-box D, containing packing (Z said box being a recess in casting D in outward continuation of bore (Z The said pocket is removable from the said tank at will.

Jdesignates valve-adjusting collar, which is internally screw-threaded to engage external v screw-threads in the rear end of shank E and provided with a milled periphery J an integral annular forward extension or hub J, concentric with the said shank and contiguous thereto, being of considerably less diameter than the said milled rim. This hub is smooth on its inner face and need not exactly touch the said shank. It is provided with a long curved slot 1, extending obliquely from front to rear in direction, though more nearly transverse than longitudinal. This overlies a shorter slot 8, formed in the rear part of tubular shank e.

The solid hub or extension H aforesaid is in one piece with a cylindrical casting H, constituting both the body of the soldering-iron and also the body of its generator. The forward end of this casting is internally screwthreaded to receive a correspondiugly-screwthreaded cylindrical rear extension 1; of the point or head K. hen this head is screwed in place, the tool is a soldering-iron. hen it is unscrewed and removed, the tool becomes a torch for use in burning ofi paint, soldering by blaze, or as needed. This head or point is provided with a deep recess K, to receive the discharge of flame from the chimney Z of a mixing-chamber L within the rear part of the said body or casting H. Oblique airholes on. extend through the rear part of this casting into said mixing-chamber. Outletholes M extend through the sides of said casting near its forward end in proximity to the discharge end of said chimney. The generator consists of a series of annular grooves or retorts N, formed in the said body H and covered by a cylindrical shell O, they being connected together by short passages n and supplied from the conduit F, through a bore F, formed in the parts H H. The generator discharges from its forward retort through an outlet-passage P, running back through the said body H nearer to the mixing-chamher than are the said retorts and discharging into the said mixing-chamber through a jethole q and a jet-block Q, screwed centrally into the forward face of the rear end or base of casting or body H. This jet-block constitutes a jet-nozzle for vapor or gas and need not be in the form of a block at all. The gen- I erator-body may be wrought instead of cast l and need not be absolutely in asingle piece, l since it would be practicable to fasten several l sections together in making it if found more convenient. Its shape is not necessarily that l of a true cylinder, since many prismatic and 1 other hollow forms would be practical equivalents. The jet-nozzle will not usually discharge vapor, but a fixed gas. The rearmost retort, which is nearest the point or head and last to receive the flow of gasolene, is generally referred to as the last, while that at the outer or forward end of the series is called the first retort.

R designates a long valve-rod which passes through a bore in extension H and the rear part of body H, also longitudinally through the interior of tubular shank E as far as the slots sf, being provided at its rear end with a lateral arm or handle R which extends radially outward through the said slots. The forward end of rod R is provided with a hook R, which bends around in front of the jethole 9 and is presented rearwardly thereto, so as to close the same or open it more or less, according to its position of longitudinal adjustment. This adjustment is efi ected by turning the adjusting-collar to the right or the left, as needed, its screw-threaded connection to the shank E causing it to move forward or backward as thus turned and moving correspondingly the rod R and valve R by reason of the engagement of the arm or handle R with the oblique Walls of said slot. This obliquity is arranged to prevent binding, while insuring such forward and backward movement. For the same purpose the slot 1' is curved.

The operation is as follows: The gasolene flows from the tank into the pocket containing the absorbent material, which becomes saturated therewith and supplies the excess to the space at the end of said pocket, where the gasolene-pipe receives it through its screen. This gasolene is under pressure from the air first pumped into the tank, and such pressure, with the capillary action of the absorbent material, insures a suificient supply. The said material when once saturated acts as a receptacle or accumulator for storing the gasolene and yielding it up to the gasolene-tube irrespective of the position of the tube. As the holes in said pocket are close to the shell of 2 the tank all around the latter, the supply of gasolene to said pocket will be continuous, ex- 1 cept when the tool is used with the point uppermost. Such use will not often last long, and the supply in the absorbent material is relied upon in such contingencies, as it will drain down under the influence of gravity into the closed end of the pocket, the pressure of the absorbent material itself tending to produce this result. hen the tool is laid down or turned into any other than an upright position, the gasolene will be caused to pass through the holes again into the interior of the pocket so long as there is any liquid re maining in the tank. This flow through the hole will continue even when the tool is upright so long as the pressure of compressed air is strong. After the tank has been charged with compressed air and the absorbent material with liquid fuel the valve 1 is opened to allow the liquid to flow from the gasolene-pipe through the conduit ll and the passage before described to the series of retorts of the generator, whence it returns as far as the jetblock, escaping through the jet-hole into the uniting-chamber. It is there mixed with air, as stated, and discharged through the chimney of said chamber. The last retort of the generator is the one nearest to this point of discl'iarge and will receive the greatest amount of heat from the flames, turned back by the point or head before they l'inally escape through the holes in the side of the body ll. The other retorts of the series are successively less and less exposed to such heat. Consequently the gasolcne entering the rearmost retort as a liquid is there nioderatelyheated and partly vaporized and passes thence to the sec ond retort, where a higher degree of heat is applied to it, and so to the third retort and the remainder of the series, the heat continuing to increase as it advances, so that it issues from the last retort as a lixed gas. The jet-hole may be so regulated by the valve it as to prevent the full volume of this gas from issuing through the same, or the jet-hole may be made small enough to insure this result when left open. ltn either case the excess of gas will go back through the generator, conduit, and gasolene-tube to the said pocket, passing thence into the tank and keeping up the pressure. The same result may, however, be attained by a sul'licicnt charge of air, and this will in practice usually be found the more certain and satisfactory Way.

The parts of the tool are easily separated for cleaning, both the pocket and the mixing chamber being removabl y fastened to the parts which contain them, and the conduit it being also merely clamped to the parts D and H by the screw-threaded engagement therewith of shank E, which of course may be tightened or loosened. at will, although the wedgedike contact of the tapering ends of said conduit with the proximate surfaces insures securely holding it in place.

The course of the gasolene through the genorator is indicated by arrows in Fig. 1, the short connecting-passages between the retorts being on opposite sides of the tool alternately. The valve it cleans the jet-hole, beside controlling the flow.

Having thus described my invention, what if claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. in a vapor-heated or gas-heated implement for soldering and similar purposes, provided with a tank constituting the handle, a metal pocket attached to the forward end of the tank and extenifling rearwardl y therefrom, absorbent material substantially lllling the forward end of the pocket allowing a space for liquid fuel in its rear end, a tube having its open end in this space and extending forward through said absorbent material and the forward end of the tank to convey liquid for the generation of gas, the forward end of said pocket being arranged to leave a narrow space between the wall of the tank and provided around its periphery with unobstructed perforations for the inlet of liquid fuel substantially as set forth.

2. In an implement of the character de scribed, the combination of a source of lluid fuel, a vapor-generator consisting of a hollow body provided in its wall with a series of an nular retorts and passages leading from one retort to another, a passage leading from the source of fuel to the retort nearest thereto and a passage leading from the retort nearest the burner to a jet'nozzle which discharges into a mixing-chamber within the generator, and a head or point to receive the discharge of llzune from the minirig-chamber and turn the same back toward the generator.

3. in an implement of the character de" scribed, the combination of a ilu'id-fuel supply, a generator consisting of an outer shell litting over a hollow body provided with annular grooves in its exterior and grooves connecting the said annular grooves so as to form a series of connected closed retorts, the groove nearest the source of fuel-snppl y being connected thereto, the groove nearest the burner being connected by a passage to a jet-nozzle, and a mixing-chamber within the hollow body, the generator being arranged so that the retort nearesttheburner receives the greatest amount of heat from the flame, the others being heated to a decreasing extent in succession, substan tially as described.

4:. In an implement of the character described, the combination of a source of :lluid fuel, a hollow generator consisting of a series of annular retorts connected by passages ion gitudiual of the generator, a passage for supplying fuel to the retort nearest the ii'uel-supply, a passage in the generator for conveying the vapor from the retort which is farthest from the supply of fuel to the jet-nozzle dischanging into a mixing-chamber in the inte-- rior of the hollow generator, means for ad" mitting air into the mixing-chamber, means for turning back a portion of the products of combustion to impinge first on the retort farthest from the fucl-supply and means for a1- lowing the exit of the products of combustion.

llln animplement for soldering and similar purposes, a tubular shank internally screwthreaded at both ends. in combination with a conduit arranged within the same and tapered at both ends, a tank and the tool-body, each IIO having screw-threaded parts for engaging the said shank and tapering recesses fitting the ends of the said conduit, means forsupplying liquid fuel from said tank to the rear end of said conduit, a generator, means of communication between said conduit and the said generator, and means for discharging the gas produced by said generator in proximity thereto within the said body, in order that the flame produced by the ignition thereof may heat the said generator as well as the operative end of said tool substantially as set forth.

6. In an implement for soldering and similar uses, a hollow generator body, having formed in its wall a series of annular retorts, a series of passages extending from one retort to another, an inlet-passage for fuel supplying the rearniost one of the said retorts and an outletilassage for gas or Vapor supplied by the most forward one of the said retorts, with relation to the operative end of said tool, in combination with a mixing-chamber and burner in the interior of the said hollow body, a gas-jet nozzle supplied by the said generator through the said outlet-passages and discharging into the said mixing-chamber, means for supplying liquid hydrocarbon to the rearmost of the said retorts and means for turning back the flame from said burner against the said generator, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIS MIT OHELLL lVitnesses:

E. E. ROOKWOOD, H. P. TARBOX. 

